Unpaid wages at construction site Construction workers threaten to jump from crane at Bonn University Hospital

Bonn · Two construction workers threatened on Tuesday to jump from a crane on the premises of Bonn University Hospital. The reason: According to GA information, they were demanding to be paid outstanding wages earned.

 Construction workers threatened to jump from the crane.

Construction workers threatened to jump from the crane.

Foto: Nicolas Ottersbach

On Tuesday, two construction workers threatened to jump from a crane set up on the property of the Bonn University Hospital. At around 11:15 a.m. the two men climbed onto the construction equipment outside the Women’s Clinic, triggering a police and fire brigade response. They demanded that their employer, who was hired as a subcontractor for construction projects at the university hospital, pay them around 14,000 euros in outstanding wages, according to GA information. Otherwise, they would jump.

While the fire department secured the area, the police called in a specially trained negotiating group and an altitude intervention team that can rescue people from areas of great height. "However, they were not deployed," explains police spokesman Simon Rott. With the help of the site manager, the two Romanians were persuaded to leave the crane. "Their colleagues made the first contact and translated," said Rott. The site manager in turn mediated between the employer and the two men. In the end, it was agreed that the outstanding wages would be paid. The construction workers then climbed down.

University Hospital wants to advocate for the workers

Whether the incident will result in any consequences for the men is unclear. They are employees of a Romanian company, which in turn is a subcontractor of a construction company awarded the job through a bidding procedure of the University Hospital (UKB). The UKB has its own construction division, which reports directly to the Executive Board. "The companies are selected after a Europe-wide tender and receive from the procurement department the contracts checked by lawyers, whose standards are also valid for subcontractors," says hospital spokeswoman Susanne Wagner. Whether social standards such as the minimum wage are adhered to would be checked in the award procedure. Companies are contractually obliged to comply with them. "We consistently investigate all indications of breaches of contract, but so far there have been no complaints," says Wagner.

The Bonn University Hospital wants to advocate for the workers. "The UKB is working with the construction company it has hired to ensure that any delays in payment by the subcontractor are immediately compensated.”

(Orig. text: Nicolas Ottersbach; Translation: ck)

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